My wife Kim and I recently returned from a trip to the Caribbean, where we stayed at a Sandals resort. As I was posting pictures, several of my friends started asking questions about sandals. In particular, which one do I like the most? With that thought in mind, here are my top 10 favorite sandals resorts.
Why read this blog about Sandals resorts?
Here are three specific reasons. Number one, my wife Kim and I spend time every year at Sandals Resorts, especially in the wintertime. Number two, we are still active adults who work for a living. Yes, we have jobs. We are not full-time retirees like some people who frequent Sandals a lot. And last, we’ve been to many Sandals resorts recently. I’m not going to say we’ve been to all of them because we haven’t. However, we have been to many of them over the past 5-plus years.
Sandals resorts are not for everyone
I wrote a separate blog about why I love staying at Sandals. However, they are not for everyone. For example, it is an adult-only all-inclusive, which means it is not cheap. I will mention that if you are military or a veteran, they have an excellent military discount. Number two, Sandals are for couples only. If you’re single, looking for a good time, and hoping to hook up, Sandals is not the place for you. And for heaven’s sake, don’t take your children. Take your kids to Beaches resorts. And third, all the resorts are in the Caribbean. It is the only place you can go if you’re staying at a Sandals.
Sandals resort #10 – Negril, Jamaica
Let’s jump into the countdown. At number 10, Negril, Jamaica. I enjoyed spending time here. It is a beautiful part of Jamaica with a world-class beach and a lot of water activities. However, Negro’s just not really my vibe. Many people love going here. The resort is somewhat dated. I hear they’re going to make some updates since the recent hurricane. Here are a few other minuses. This resort is not near the Montego Bay airport. You’re going to take quite a car ride to get there. The other bonus, right next door, is a nudist resort. So, you get some interesting characters walking down the beach while you’re there trying to sun yourself. Something to be aware of. There’s a Beaches resort nearby. I would say if you have a family and are looking for a place to go, Beaches Negril looks like an excellent option.
Resort #9 – Royal Bahamian
Sandals Royal Bahamian is easy to get to from the States. The resort is near the airport and right by Baja Mar. So, if you want to go do some gambling, not hard to do. Probably the most amazing feature of this resort is that there’s a private island you can get to, which is just an amazing place to spend some time. Kim and I spent one of our anniversaries here. The downside for me is that this resort can be crowded cuz it’s so easy to get to. So, when they say party pool, they mean it.
Sandals resort #8 – Royal Curacao
At number eight on my countdown is Royal Curacao. If you’re not familiar with where Curacao is located, it’s part of the ABC islands, Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao, down near Venezuela. I’d maybe skipped this one, given some recent world events. There are a few major pluses about this resort. It is an amazing property, and the pool. The double-decker infinity pool is a killer place to hang out during the day. The beach is not so great. The other thing I’d say is that getting to Curacao can be a challenge. I would not go here in the summer. It’s going to be wicked hot.
Resort #7 – Montego Bay, Jamaica
At number seven is Montego Bay, Jamaica. This is the OG of sandals, the first one that was built. If you’ve never been to a Sandals, this is a great place to start. It’s the first one I went to. Pictured below is the resort map. It is a large property with plenty to do, especially beach activities, and there are excursions all over Jamaica you can take from here. This resort is close to the airport and easy to get to. I think Montego Bay is an excellent choice, especially if you’ve never been to a Sandals.
Sandals resort #6 – Grand Antigua
I feel bad listing this resort as number six. It is where it landed. If you are a beach lover, you need to go to Antigua. If you’ve never been there before, this island is covered with them. Sandals Grand Antigua sits on one of them. The property’s a little bit dated. However, I would say if you’re a beach person, this is the place for you.
Resort #5 – Barbados
We’re in the top five. I would go to any of these resorts if offered the opportunity. At number five is Barbados. This is not one Sandals resort. It is two next to one another, and you can go wherever you want. There are a ton of things to do. There are so many restaurants that, when we were there, we didn’t even get a chance to eat at them all. These resorts offer amazing pools and an excellent beach. The downside is that they get this weird weed thing every now and then on the beach, and it can sometimes be a little bit of a challenge to get to. If you want a lot to do, Sandals Barbados is a wonderful choice.
Sandals resort #4 – Grenada
At number four is Sandals Grenada, located on the Caribbean spice island. Kim and I recently returned from this resort. It was our second time there, and we had a blast. We’ve heard that this resort has the highest return rate of Sandals customers, and I can see why. The beach is excellent, and the pools are fantastic. This resort could not be located any closer to the airport. It is right next door. If you’ve never been to Grenada, I highly recommend going, and this resort is an excellent place to stay
Resort #3 – St. Vincent and the Grenadines
This is the newest property in the Sandals brand. It was originally going to be a beach resort, which means everything in this resort is humongous. They have bikes in case you need to get around. It is located in a wonderful valley. We had an amazing time celebrating our anniversary at Saint Vincent. And if you’re celebrating an anniversary, I highly recommend doing it at Sandals. They will do you right. A few things are not perfect about Saint Vincent as an island, not a ton of tourist infrastructure. Also, getting from the airport to the resort can be a challenge. There’s not quite as much to do once you get off the resort. However, this resort’s so amazing, you’re not going to care. You’re just going to want to stay there.
Sandals resort #2 – La Toc, St. Lucia
At number two is Sandals La Toc, located in St. Lucia. There are three resorts on this magnificent volcanic island. St. Lucia is my favorite Caribbean island. It has amazing natural beauty, tons of things to see and do out and about. This resort is wonderful. One word of warning: the property is hilly. We stayed up on the hill and saw some amazing sunsets from there. As far as things that might be a challenge. Once again, getting from the airport to the resort can take some time. The other thing I’d say is the beach here is not great because it’s a volcanic island. However, you’re not going to care. There’s a bunch of other things to do while you’re at La Toc. Go there. Have an awesome time.
My favorite Sandals resort is South Coast, Jamaica
My favorite resort is South Coast Jamaica. One specific reason, you see it in the picture below, over the water bungalows. Kim and I got married during COVID and barely spent any money on our wedding. We took all those leftover resources and splurged on our honeymoon, staying in an over-the-water bungalow, which is out-of-this-world awesome. If you ever get a chance and can afford it, I recommend it. The South Coast resort is hard to get to from the airport. It is worth the drive through the swervy roads to get to South Coast. Due to the recent hurricane, this resort is currently closed. We hear they’re rebuilding it. Kim and I cannot wait to return. And who knows, maybe one day we’ll have enough money to spend a few days in an overwater bungalow again.
We will see you at Sandals
There you have it: my top 10 favorite Sandals resorts. I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to leave your thoughts or let me know what your favorite Sandals resorts are in the comments section. If you’re at a Sandals and you see Kim and me, be sure to say hello. We like meeting new people whenever we’re in the Caribbean. We’ll see you at Sandals.
I am Doug Keating, and this is my letter to my so